


snap shots of richie tozier's love life

by fobegren



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), First Kiss, Henry Bowers Being an Asshole, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Soft Richie Tozier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-20 20:41:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21287861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fobegren/pseuds/fobegren
Summary: "i'm going to choose." the small boy declared and smiled up at his mom. "i don't want to end up with some stupid boy who doesn't love me properly, or who is mean to me. i'm going to love a cute little boy who i can protect and-"in which we see richie tozier learning about love.
Relationships: Betty Ripsom & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 5
Kudos: 88





	snap shots of richie tozier's love life

**Author's Note:**

> this is just a little try out to see if I should turn this into a proper story. let's see what you guys think..
> 
> side note: my grammar and spelling ain't the best so yeah, I tried.

when his parents would say, you can't chose who you love, richard tozier always thought it was dumb. he remembers walking down the street when he was younger and seeing a man shout at a girl who was crying and then he kissed her.  
"why'd he shout at her?" he asked, tugging on the pocket of his mom's coat.  
"i don't know honey." richie watched as the man hit the women before kissing her and dragging her into a building, tears still on her face.  
"why'd she kiss him? why'd she go with him if he hurt her?"  
"you don't get to choose who you love. and when you do fall for them, it's so hard to get back up that you can't help but stay." his mum pulled him into the glasses shop and they sat down in the small waiting room.  
"i'm going to choose." the small boy declared and smiled up at his mom. "i don't want to end up with some stupid boy who doesn't love me properly, or who is mean to me. i'm going to love a cute little boy who i can protect and-"  
"it won't be a boy." his mother said, looking around to see if anyone heard her son. "it can't be a boy. if you're going to choose, make it a girl." richie looked at his mom who was avoiding his eye contact but nodded anyway, and kicked his feet back and forth.  
"a girl. okay. i'll choose to fall in love with the prettiest, most beautifullest girl out there." as richie kept rambling to himself, his mother sighed and tucked a curl behind his ear.  
"we'll get you a haircut after this."

-

now, almost seven years later, richie tozier still thought that statement was a lie. he walked into school with his arm around betty ripsom, his girlfriend for the last two years, and went up to a boy who was slightly taller than him and kicked the locker.  
"good morrow, stanley the manly, how are you my good fellow?" stan rolled his eyes at his friends voice and shut his locker properly before leading the way down the hall.  
"we need to meet bill by his locker, apparently has a surprise for us." as they weaved in and out the students, he smiled.  
"lucky us, although i think i already know it. i was round his place last night checking that his mom could still walk after-"  
"beep beep asshole." richie didnt have a clue what the surprise was but the disgust on stan's face made him laugh. as they turned to walk into the west corridor, betty stopped him.  
"i gotta go now, otherwise i'll be late. love you." she leaned up and planted a kiss on richie's cheek before walked down the hall.  
"yeah, love you too princess." stan made a gaging noise and richie chuckled, shoving him gently before continuing to bills locker. love you too. yeah, he loves betty ripsom, he chose to love this pretty, smart, funny girl. but the truth is, richie has no clue, he has no clue what love is and will settle for this because it's the safe option.  
they reach bills locker and sees the other losers standing around, bev leaning against mike and ben, bill opposite them, all huddled around something. richie rushed forward and slung an arm around bill, smiling wide.  
"big billiam, heard you had a surprise for us-" richie stopped suddenly and looked down at the small boy in front of him. he had tan skin, brunette hair and fuck ton of freckles. he awkwardly fiddled with a zip on his fannypack and half smiled. his nails were painted a chipped baby blue and his socks were pulled to just below his knees, the short shorts he wore were making richie's brain short circuit. memories hit him like a truck.  
"richie this e-e-edie, remember him from a few y-yuh-years ago? well he's moved back. eddie, this is our favourite tr-tah-tah-trah-tr-"  
"trashmouth. richie tozier at your service eds." he cut off bill and offered out a hand which the smaller boy awkwardly took.  
"er, it's cool to meet you...again. and don't call me eds." something flickered inside richie, like a candle had been lit inside his stomach.  
"fine, eddie spaghetti it is."  
"that's no better." the other losers chuckled and began walking down the corridor.  
"d-dose anyone have m-m-music next?" all the losers bar richie shook their heads and bill sighed. "r-r-rich, eddie is in y-yu-your class, can you look a-ah-after h-him?"  
"aww yeah, i'll look after this cutie" he went to pinch eddies cheeks but his hand hit swatted away by the smaller boy who had a faint blush on his cheeks. "the lessons await y'all!" richie cried in a terrible southern accent. he chucked an arm around eddies shoulder and said bye to the group before steering him away to lesson. 

-

dont fall, you won't get back up.

-

bill and stan watched the other two boys carefully, looking at how when their hands would accidentally touch both they're faces would go bright red.  
"should w-w-wuh-we help?" bill half whispered over the film that was playing. the stuttering boy and the jew were sharing the couch, eddie and richie were in the armchair and the other three losers sat in a pile of blankets on the floor. stan shook his head.  
"not like there's anything we can do. richie's still with betty for some dumb reason."  
"he says he l-loves h-hu-her." the boy sighed and watched as eddies eyes slowly began to shut and his head fell into the the others shoulder, causing him to go tense then smile like an idiot. "he t-told me he w-wanted to c-ch-chu-choose who he loves."  
"then why not choose eddie? aside from homophobia and the possibility of being disowned by their parents there's nothing stopping them." bill let out a laugh and elbowed stan.  
"anything you want to share with the class billiam?" beverly asked in a sickly sweet voice. bill blushed a little and stuttered out a no before bev snorted. "then shut up, some of us are watching the movie." 

-

"look at the faggot, where's your boyfriend?" richie smirked at bowers, shrugging his shoulders.  
"haven't seen your dad today-" a punch to the stomach shut him up and the older boy snarled, eyes glinting dangerously in the night light.  
"fucking fairy, lucky i don't beat you to death here. if i had by boys-"  
"we could have more fun, eh?" richie said in a high pitch voice, we sending the bully a wink. as quick as a flash, richie was on the ground, his face getting kicked by henry's steelcaps. tears threatened to fall but richie managed to keep them under his eyelids, however he couldn't stop a groan of pain escaping.  
by the time henry stopped and walked away, richie had blood trickling down his face, a black eye and his glasses cracked. he got up, hissing in pain, his feet began moving before his fuzzy brain could understand where he was walking until he came to a stop in front of the kaspbrak house.  
using the tree next to the house, he pulled himself up and onto the window ledge, knocking on it gently. a sleepy, scowling face appeared from behind the curtains but it softened into worry at the site of his friends face. the smaller boy wrenched open the window and pulled the raven-haired boy in, cupping his face, eyes wide.  
"what happened to you?" eddie questioned, pushing richie down onto his bed the grabbing the first aid kit he kept in his room.  
"already on your bed- take me to dinner first eds."  
"beep beep asshole, im trying to help. and dont call me eds." he pressed a wipe to the cut on richies forehead, shushing the older boy when he winced. "rich, what happened?"  
"don't want to talk about it." their faces were so close, the could see the different shades of brown in eddies eyes, he could count his freckles. he let eddie do his work, cleaning up the cuts and taping his glasses back together where he could. richie stood up and went back to the window but a wave of dizziness hit him and caused him to stumble a little, knocking over a glass.  
"eddie bear? sweetie are you okay?" the heavy thinks of eddies mother sounded around the house and richie rushed to the window.  
"and this is where we part, princess." eddie blushed and hugged richie tightly.  
"take care my prince." then he shoved the taller boy out. 

richie walked home with his head in the clouds, high on the feeling that a certain small boy gave him.

-

you can't love him, it's wrong.

-

"where are the others?"  
"good question eds. they said they'd be here about three hours ago."  
"h-have you just been sat here? and don't call me that." eddie looked out at the water below and joined richie on the ground, legs dangling over the cliff. years had passed now and the pair had spent more and more tike together.  
"yep."  
"why didn't you look for them? or go see betty?" the boy next to him tensed up and shrugged, leaning back on the ground to look up at the now starry sky.  
"i'd rather wait here for you princess." eddie felt his face heat up and he looked down at richie. slowly, he lay back, wincing at the dirt and germs crawling on him.  
"do you know how many germs are probably in you right now? thousands. oh god if they get in my mouth i might throw up. oh god they're going to be all in my ahir and i'm going to have to shower three times and it still won't come out-" silently, richie lifted eddies head and moved it so it was resting on his chest.  
"there, now no more germs." his hand lay across eddies chest and the pair just lay there, both blushing, both watching the stars. after a while, the smaller boy rolled over and looked up at the other.  
"chee?" the taller boy grunted. "m'cold n'tired." it was said in a quiet voice and richie sat up, looking down at the half asleep boy then pulled off his jacket and slipped It onto the smaller boy before pulling him up.  
"let's go." he bent down and gestured for the smaller boy to climb on his back.  
he's asleep by the time they get back to the main road, richie can feel eddies short breath on his neck and he forced himself to remain calm. he stumbled a bit and felt the arms around his neck tighten, mumbles of 'careful' leaving his mouth. the taller boy felt his phone buzzing dully in his pocket and immediately he knows it's betty and that he should feel a warmth but there's nothing. he should love her, he chose to love her but yet he can't help remembering his moms words.  
you don't get to choose who you love.  
now, because of the boy on his back, he began to think those words were right.

richie woke to the sound off his phone ringing, causing him to fumble blindly until it shut up. he opened his eyes slowly and saw a blurry figure lying close. his arms were wrapped around their waist and their legs were interwind with his own. feeling around for his glasses, he pushed them on and saw eddie laying there. panic and that warm flicker ate at his insides, demanding that he move and stay at the same time. it cause him to awkwardly wiggle away but the small boy whimmpered and wrapped his arms around richie's neck.  
"eds, what are you doing to me?" richie whispered and placed an unusually gently kiss onto the boys forehead.

-

you can't love a boy you disgusting fag.

-

betty was a beautiful, funny girl and richie knew that but no matter how much be thought about all the good things, nothing compared to the one, overlooking factor as to why he couldnt say he loved her. her heels clicked across the dance floor and he shook his head to look up at his girlfriend. she was wearing a pretty little blue dress and had her hair down in curls.  
"it's the couple's dance, shall we?"  
"indeed my fair lady." betty giggled and the pair found a spot on the floor. he placed his hands on her waist and she pit her head in the crook of his neck and they began to sway, turning ever so slightly.  
the lights had gone low so that it was almost pitch black except for the fairylights around the hall. richie looked around the room and his eyes landed on a sad small boy in the corner, swirling his drink, watching the pair dance. he was wearing a deep navy suit with a little pink bowtie and pulled at it constantly which richie found adorable. due to the low light and his glasses, eddie couldn't tell that richie was watching him so continued to watch them dance, jealousy eating away at him. the song came to an end and richie planted a quick kiss on betty before saying he need the toilet. she smiled a went to her girls, not even bothering to cheek that richie had actually left.  
"hey, you okay edwardo?"  
"y-yeah. aren't you meant to be dancing with betty right now? it is valentines."  
"she won't mind missing one song." the pair left the hall and raced down the corridors, the fast paced music of the band following them. they slipped into an empty classroom on then opposite end of the corridor on the next floor up. the music was still audible and richie pushed his glasses up with a smirk.  
"i don't even think your mom-"  
"beep beep." the smaller boy said softly and richie felt something inside him stir. he looked the classroom door and dropped the door window blind, plunging to room into darkness. only a slither of moon light escaped into the room, guiding richie careful towards eddie who was standing the the empty middle of the room. suddenly, the energetic music stopped and a quiet, slow dance song could be heard.  
without words, he placed his hands on eddies waist and the smaller boy wrapped his arms around his neck. he pressed his face into the crook of richie's neck and even though it was such a similar position to the one he'd been in with betty, it felt different. a good different. his heart raced and he gripped the boy tighter, scared he would disappear like a dream. the song died out but the pair stayed stood in the middle of the room, enjoying the closeness. but eventually, eddie pulled back and looked up at him.  
"thanks chee." and a ever so soft kiss was placed on the taller boys cheek before the blushing brunette left the room.  
betty found him stood in that room a few songs later, gently touching his own cheek.  
"babe? you okay?" she asked from the doorway.  
"yeah," he replied, leaving the room and grabbing her hand. "yeah. im perfect." 

-

it's too late, your hearts decided.

-

okay, so richie tozier may believe that you can't choose who you fall in love with. exhibit a through to z; eddie kaspbrak. he had been determined not to fall in love, to choose the love he wanted because he was scared, scared about who he would fall in love with but now this adorable ball of rage was dropped at his feet. his heart raced every time he thought about eddie and his stupid fannypack and his adorable face and his dumb laugh and his sarcastic tone and his-  
"richie, baby, can i put my bag in your room?" he blinked and looked down at betty who had just walked through the door. the person he'd chosen to love, the girl he'd chosen to love. a girl.  
"yeah sure thing." he lead the way upstairs to his room, flashing a smile to the other losers as he passed. his parents were out of town and they'd decided to have a sleepover. it was just meant to be the losers but like all their meetups, betty had invited herself. he walked into his room and was about to say something when betty shut the door and dropped her bag. she slowly walked towards the boy and placed a dainty hand around his neck.  
"why don't we have some fun? I'm sure the others won't mind." her breath was warm on his ear and he found himself leaving down, pressing a tight kiss to her lips. she ran a hand through his hair but it was rough and didn't feel right but he carried on, desperate for this to work. he needed to love her. not boys. not eddie.  
"eddie." he mumbled against betty lips and he girl froze, pushing him away.  
"what the fuck did you just say?" fear rolled through his body like a water drip running down his back.  
"n-nothing. i was just thinking about how- er, how eddie would be jealous that im getting this much action-"  
"cut the crap, tozier. you really don't think i see how you look at him? or how he looks at you? how do you think i feel knowing that im dating a gay who doesnt even know he's gay yet?" betty was shouting now and slapped him. hard. the rings on her fingers left scratches and stung. "i can't believe i let you string me along this long, oh god."  
"betty, im sorry-"  
"you're not though. you're relived that you don't have to break up with me yourself." she sighed and cupped his face, thumbing over the scratch marks "it's not your fault, you cant help who you fall in love with." a wave of emotion hit the boy like a truck and suddenly tears were threatening to fall.  
"bet, I'm sorry, i am. i don't want to be a disgusting mess but i am-"  
"hey, im sorry as well. i remember eddie and you when you guys were younger. inseparable. when he moved back, i remember you talked the whole date about how great it was to see him again." she paused and took a shaky breath "don't call yourself disgusting. there is nothing wrong with you. i'm sorry about slapping you just some, pent up, anger."  
"it's fine, i deserved it." they both chuckled and the girl leant in gently.  
"one last kiss while im still richie toziers girl?" and they kissed expect it's the first time that richie smiled into against her lips. "right now it's official. we're are now single and that means you can go get the boy you love." and with that betty ripsom walked away from richie, leaving him happiest in a long time.

-

just. love him.

-

richie tozier was was nervous. he stood outside the house in one of stans button ups and his nicest pair of jeans. the door opened and their stood eddie, in a new pair of baby blue short shorts, a yellow top and richie's jacket. richie's jacket which he gave to him weeks ago.  
"hey princess, lookin' sharp."  
"thanks trashmouth, you brushed up nicely as well." the stood slightly awkwardly before eddie shut the door and hurried down the path towards richie's bike. "we need to hurry though, before-" the cries of mrs k sound out the windows and the boys laugh, both climbing onto the bike, eddies arms tight around the others waist.  
they cycled down the road and the taller boy felt eds rest his head agsint his back as the houses turned to fields. he turned off down a deserted lane and rode out to the edge of a random field.  
they tumbled off the bike and richie grabbed eddies hand, pulling him gently through the flower field to a picnic blanket.  
"and now presenting," a 1950s radio voice left richie's lips as he gestured wildly to the spot "stargazing and pb&j's. introducing the free picnic blanket to keep off the dirt and bugs." richie stood there awkwardly, waiting for a reaction and let out a sigh if relive when eddie slowly lay down on the blanket. he patted the spot next to him and richie blushed before joining him.  
"you know chee, this is an unusually soft side of you im seeing to tonight."  
"only for you eddie spaghetti. i just-" he paused a his eyes flicked down to the smaller boy "want everything to be perfect. don't want to mess up my chance with the prettiest, most beautifullest boy out there." there was a silence and he felt eddie move away then appear above him.  
time slowed, eddies body resting on his, his face so close richie could smell peppermints and shampoo.  
"for the record, i think this is perfect." and then the moment that richie had been playing in his head for years happened. the kiss was soft and gently and sweet and- eddie pulled back a blushing mess before laying his head down on richie's chest. 

-

you don't chose who you fall in love with, but you can chose to stay in love.


End file.
